This had been created under the Public Health Acts of 1872 and 1875, giving public health and local government responsibilities for rural areas to the existing boards of guardians of poor law unions.
A joint committee of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire County Councils held inquiries during 1894 trying to reach agreement as to how best to deal with Royston.
The Ashwell Rural District Council held its first meeting on 1 January 1895 at the Board Room of the Union Workhouse on Baldock Road in Royston.
Competing proposals were put forward from the two county councils, with both Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire wanting the whole town.
[8] Eventually, the Local Government Board directed that town should all be placed in Hertfordshire, and on 30 September 1896 the parish of Royston (Cambridgeshire) and the parts of the Cambridgeshire parishes of Bassingbourn, Kneesworth, and Melbourn that were within the North Royston Special Drainage District were transferred to Hertfordshire.
[16][17][18] Administrative office functions were carried out at the office (and home) of the clerk to the council, Arthur Sharpe, at The Laurels, 13 King Street (called Back Street prior to 1911) in Royston.
[19][20][21][22] Under the Local Government Act 1929 the boards of guardians and poor law unions were abolished, and provisions were put in place allowing county councils to review the districts within their areas to form more effective areas for administrative purposes.